204 Do Not Cite or Quote 5. LAKE MICHIGAN 5.1 MUSKEGON LAKE AOC AND WHITE LAKE AOC MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI The Muskegon Lake AOC includes the entirety of Muskegon Lake, in Muskegon County, Michigan. Muskegon Lake is a 4,149 acre inland coastal lake. The Muskegon River flows through the lake before emptying into Lake Michigan (see AOC map in the appendix). The White Lake AOC includes White Lake and a quarter-mile wide zone around the lake, in Muskegon County MI. White Lake is a 2,570 coastal, down-river lake (see AOC map in the Appendix). 5.1.1 Hazardous Waste Sites Relevant to the Muskegon Lake and White Lake AOCs ATSDR has evaluated the data for 12 hazardous waste sites in Muskegon County, MI, and reached conclusions regarding any potential effect to health posed by these sites. These conclusions, along with information regarding the AOC near which the site is located, the type and location of the site, and the date and type of assessment document, are summarized in Table 5.1-A. In addition, EPA reported (2006) that other waste sites (e.g., 568 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act land disposal facilities) are located in Muskegon County, Michigan. For hazardous waste sites in Muskegon County, NY that at any time had Public Health Hazard Categories of 1-3, the number of contaminant records in HazDat that exceeded health based- screening values was 1890, as shown in Table 5.1-B. Most of the records were for the water media group; the soil media group had the next highest number of records. In addition, EPA reported (2006) that sediment evaluation projects had been undertaken in the Muskegon Lake AOC under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. The IJC Great Lakes critical pollutants accounted for 114 (6%) of these records, with the majority for the soil media group. The IJC critical pollutants that have been found at Muskegon County, MI, hazardous waste sites at concentrations exceeding health-based screening values are: PCBs, B(A)P, DDT and metabolites, aldrin/dieldrin, lead, mercury, and hexachlorobenzene. Details are provided in Table 5.1-C. Further evaluation of the data for the sites with Public Health Hazard Categories of 1-3 was conducted by ATSDR in the public health assessments and other health-related documents. These evaluations are discussed in the following subsections. 5.1.1.1 Bofors Nobel Incorporated Bofors Nobel, Inc. is a 120-acre site 6 miles east of downtown Muskegon, in Muskegon County, MI. It extends to the south bank of Big Black Creek, which flows west-southwest across the site. Various owners have operated chemical manufacturing facilities on the site since 1960. Chemicals produced at the site have included pesticides, herbicides, 3,3’-dichlorobenzidine, Benzidine, and other aromatic amines. Many other VOCs and SVOCs have been used as DRAFT – DO NOT CITE OR QUOTE 205 Do Not Cite or Quote solvents and intermediates. Before 1976, operators of the plant used several unlined lagoons and settling ponds for wastewater and sludge disposal. In 1965 and in 1975, dikes around some of the lagoons failed, releasing wastewater into Big Black Creek. Beginning in 1976, the plant discharged its waste water to the Muskegon County wastewater treatment system. Groundwater contamination with aromatic amines and VOCs was discovered at the site in 1976, and purge wells were installed to collect and pump groundwater for treatment. The plant area of the site (35 acres) is still in operation, but the remainder of the site including the lagoon area is fenced and administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. A groundwater treatment facility completed in September 1994, discharged treated water to Big Black Creek. 3,3’-Dichlorobenzidine has been tracked out into the community by workers at the plant. Information regarding this site is taken from ATSDR’s 1990 preliminary health assessment, 1992 interim public health assessment, and 1996 public health assessment. Updated information is taken from the 2003 EPA NPL fact sheet. Table 5.1-A Hazardous Waste Sites in Muskegon County, MI Public Health Site Name, AOC Hazard Category EPA NPL Status Site ID City 3 (1990 HA) Bofors Nobel Inc., 3 (1992 HA) MID006030373 Muskegon Lake 4 (1996 HA) Final Muskegon Duell & Gardner Landfill, 3 (1989 HA) Muskegon Lake 4 (1994 HA) Final MID980504716 Dalton Township E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc., 3 (1989) Montague Plant, White Lake 4 (n.d. SR) Removed Post SARA MID000809640 Montague Hooker (Montague Plant), 3 (1989 HA) White Lake 3 (n.d. SR) Removed Post SARA MID006014906 Montague Kaydon Corp., Muskegon Lake 4 (1992 HA) Final MID006016703 Muskegon 3 (1992 HA) Muskegon Chemical Co., White Lake 4 (n.s. SR) Final MID072569510 Whitehall Ott/Story/Cordova Chemical Co., 3 (1988 HA) Muskegon Lake 2 (1993 HA) Final MID060174240 Dalton Township Peerless Plating Co., 3 (1992 HA) Muskegon Lake 2 (n.d. SR) Final MID060174240 Muskegon Ruddiman Drain Area, Muskegon Lake 3 (2003 HC) Non NPL MID980608764 Muskegon SCA Independent Landfill, 3 (1989 HA) Muskegon Lake 4 (n.d. SR) Final MID000724930 Muskegon Heights Thermo-Chem, Inc. 3 (1988 HA) Muskegon Lake 3 (1996 HA) Final MID044567162 Muskegon Whitehall Municipal Wells, 3 (1989 HA) White Lake 4 (1992 HA) Deleted Post SARA MID980701254 Whitehall 1 = Urgent Public Health Hazard, 2 = Public Health Hazard, 3 = Indeterminate Public Health Hazard, 4 = No Apparent Public Health Hazard HA = Public Health Assessment, HC = Health Consultation, SR = Site Review and Update n.d. = no date provided Category of Public Health Hazard: This site was categorized as an Indeterminate Public Health Hazard (Category 3) in the 1990 and 1992 ATSDR health assessments because human exposure to 3,3’ dichlorobenzidine, benzidine, VOCs, and metals may have occurred in the past via worker track-out, surface water, air, soil and sediment pathways, and future exposure to the DRAFT – DO NOT CITE OR QUOTE 206 Do Not Cite or Quote chemicals may occur via contaminated groundwater. In the 1996 health assessment, ATSDR concluded that the site “currently” posed No Apparent Public Health Hazard (Category 4), although it posed a past public health hazard and could pose a health hazard in the future if new water supply wells are installed before groundwater remediation is complete. Contaminants of Concern in Completed Exposure Pathways: None in 1996. The IJC critical pollutant lead was detected at above health-based screening values in one onsite monitoring well and at high concentrations in soil at several limited areas with the restricted area of the site, but lead did not seem to be a widespread pollutant. VOCs were present at levels of concern in groundwater. As of the 1996 public health assessment, groundwater is no longer used as a water supply onsite, the flow is not toward residential wells, and remedial measures are preventing contaminated groundwater from discharging into Big Black Creek. Demographics: Demographic profile, from the 2000 U.S. Census, for vulnerable populations living within one mile of this site: Children 6 years and younger 140 Females aged 15-44 283 Adults 65 and older 140 Public Health Outcome Data: ATSDR, in cooperation with Michigan and local health departments, has initiated a health study of workers, their families, and exposed community members for the Bofors site and two other facilities in Michigan where similar chemicals were manufactured or used. Data are not yet available from this study. Conclusions: This site does not appear to have contributed significantly to environmental or human exposure to the IJC critical pollutants. In the past, workers at the plant were exposed to benzidine and 3,3’-dichlorobenzidine and also VOCs from the use of contaminated groundwater as sources of water in the plant. Contaminants were transported offsite in groundwater and also by worker track-out. The contaminants in soil and sediment onsite are to be contained through construction of a barrier wall remedy, completed in September 2004. A groundwater treatment plant was completed in 1998, and is expected to operate for at least 43 years and to remove approximately 25, 0000 pounds of total organic contaminant from approximately 10.2 billion gallons. It is unlikely that this site is still releasing significant contamination into the environment. Health outcome data provide only a slight suggestion that the site-related exposure may have had adverse health effects (slight increase in bladder cancer incidence for 1 year only and in total invasive cancer incidence for 1 year only). 5.1.1.2 Duell & Gardner Landfill This approximately 80-acre landfill, located in Dalton Township, Muskegon County, MI, operated as an uncontrolled dump for industrial waste and general refuse from the 1940s to 1973. The landfill ceased operations in 1973. During 1986, about 500 deteriorating drums, hundreds of lab bottles, and piled waste were removed from the site, and areas of heavily stained soil were covered with plastic to reduce leaching of contaminants into groundwater. The groundwater flow is to the southeast toward Bear Creek, which is located about one mile southeast of the site. DRAFT – DO NOT CITE OR QUOTE 207 Do Not Cite or Quote The area is rural; residents use private wells for their domestic water supply. Information regarding this site is taken from the 1994 ATSDR public health assessment, HazDat, and the 2003 EPA NPL fact sheet. Category of Public Health Hazard: This site was categorized as an Indeterminate Public Health Hazard (Category 3) in the 1989 health assessment. In the 1994 health assessment, ATSDR concluded that the site posed No Apparent Heath Hazard (Category 4) under conditions at that time. Contaminants of Concern in Completed Exposure Pathways: None. Maximum concentrations of the IJC critical pollutants PCBs and DDT and metabolites, and also of crystal violet, in soil samples exceeded health-based screening values, but trespassers would not be exposed at levels expected to be harmful.